Software Engineering Reflection: More than just Coding.
16 May 2025
Taking ICS 314 this semester taught me a lot about software engineering and the fundamentals of web applications. Unlike my previous classes, we learned various coding languages and how to use different tools and extensions. Before this course, my perception of software engineering was basic web application development with HTML and CSS being the primary languages that we would learn, and I assumed that would be the main focus of the class. Although it was taught, I learned about the importance of Coding standards and the Ethics in Software Engineering.
Coding Standards
While using Visual Studio Code (VSCode), we downloaded an extension called ESLint to ensure that our code was up to a coding standard. If not, it would address it by underlining the code with a red squiggly line and telling you the reason. My first impression of it was pure annoyance. It would get mixed up with the errors, so I would freak out only to realize it was due to a singular space. However, I have come to appreciate it. Coding standards helped make the readability of code much easier, especially when it came to group projects or simply going back to an old assignment. Beyond software engineering, coding standards are important for any computer science field. The likelihood of someone having to read your program is high, and applying coding standards to one’s code ensures that it is easy to work with and understand what said code does.
Ethics in Software Engineering
Beyond the conventional ICS course, we went over the ethics in software engineering. The big question is, “Am I okay with working with the company, and what is my code being used for?” The article that our class went over was about using AI software to catch criminals. I found the topic interesting as it can be used to help improve security, but it also has many flaws that can do more harm than good. Questioning the ethical dilemma of working for a company can easily apply outside of software engineering or any computer science job. When I do start applying for jobs, this is now something that I will take into consideration.
Overall, ICS 314 is a class that taught me more than just software engineering and web applications. It introduced and prepared me for the professional world. Although I doubt that I will go into the software engineering field, I enjoyed and appreciated the class as a whole. I plan to apply the fundamental concepts taught in this class to future classes and my future career.